Wasted Years ::English Version::
by Sarah Neves
Summary: A secret between Harry and Hermione eight years ago made her take a drastic attitude. Now that she thought she had a steady life she gets devided between what's real and what's not.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

She woke up slowly, feeling the sunlight penetrating her skin, she stretched. She knew she still had time, her alarm clock hadn't ringed. For this reason she got up from her bed and got her flip flops and leaving her bedroom she went towards the bathroom. Without hurry she took of her clothes and ignoring the mirror she got under the shower, the water woke her up completely. She looked around, and concluded that she needed a bigger place. Maybe somewhere more comfortable, everything there was just simple and small. It wasn't that she didn't like it… She was proud of it. She won all of that working hard, and still… She knew she deserved something better than that apartment that only had two rooms. And a better neighborhood. She didn't spent one night there without hearing gun shots, people shouting or children crying. She didn't even have a good car; it was too awful, even if compared with the other cars in the neighborhood – even if most of them were stolen – but still. Giving a soft sigh she looked in the mirror. For a respectful lawyer not even her clothes were up to her. She was wearing an old suit – which she took care of it, for all those years – and that didn't show any part of her body. Even she had real doubts about her curves when she looked at that suit. Unfortunately it was that one or she would go naked. Her two others were at the dry cleaner. Her shoes were pretty; however someone had given them to her. But they always attracted attention. At least they took off the attention from her bushy hair. Impatient she made a practical bun. She went to her kitchen/living room and began preparing breakfast. Two toasters and a big and nice cup of coffee. She did have food to prepare, but she was always lazy to prepare something better to eat.

When she thought it was a right time to go to work, she got her keys and began facing the bad traffic in New York. Maybe her mother was right when she talked that the city was not a good place to live. At least not honestly, she added in her thoughts. She was an outstanding lawyer, and worked in a great company. And even though she was surrounded by good lawyers, she knew she was the best. Some circumstances however, they prevented her from getting a better post. Those like envy. She had talent, more than talent when the subject was justice; she practically knew all the laws and nobody won her in the court room. That and her incomparable beauty only caused greed. The envy was so much that many cheated her, and before she knew she was working still in the same small and windowless room. If it wasn't just for that, there were also hate and the ego of the men that prevented her from being where she was supposed to be. She could count on her fingers all the times that they tried to seduce her for promotion. She had had many bosses and superiors that had told her that if she spent one night (or maybe more) with them she would definitely get a promotion. She never cared about them, always acting arrogantly around them when she realized they were doing this kind of proposal. It was like they were bruising her ego, and when she was able to show that she was good in what she was doing they always had a way of boycott her things and she had to start back from zero.

She finally got to her company. It was an huge building, seventy two floors, the last two being only one office, the president's office. She parked her car in the big building garage and went to the elevator. Ground floor. It was there that she worked.

She passed in front of the big portrait of the president on the company in the front of the building. Someone who passed through the front doors and didn't notice it would be blind. It went from the floor until the ceiling and it was the size of the wall where it stood. There was nothing in front of it to block the view. It was an huge portrait of his face. It was hard to believe that a twenty-eight years man was really the majority president of the company. Some thought that he was because he had an unimaginable amount of money and had contacts, or maybe because he was infinitivally magnificent. His black hair perfectly arranged mixing with his meticulously perfect face, that went with his green eyes so deep made any woman won her day just because they looked at the portrait. That because many of them, including her, had never seen him. Not live since the fact that he was able to find in at least five magazines per month, in all of them with different women. Even though that the ones who did go out with him – only those who worked higher in the company – said that he was arrogant and cold, not only in work but in the relationship too, they were always in love with him. She however never met him. She worked for eight years in the same company and never even had met with him once. Maybe it was because they used different elevators and in the garage the place was divided between the ordinary cars and the foreigners. Or maybe it was fate. Either way, the fact was that she didn't even know the sound of his voice.

Leaving the thoughts aside she entered her office. A little room that looked more like a broom closet, maybe smaller. It was there that she worked. The first thing she did was turn on the cheap ventilator that stood on top of the metal stand. She didn't walk more than one step to get to her table. She sat uncomfortably in her chair and waited for the ventilator to work and refresh the hot air in the room. Five minutes later she was focused in her work. There were so many papers there that she lost herself in it. She didn't mind, she had a case that afternoon and she needed all to be done well. She would sue a food industry.

Correction, a _famous_ food industry. She already had prepared all her moralization about the case, but still there were missing some details, that because of the night security she wasn't able to finish in the previous night. When it was lunch time she was already sweating a lot, but she was finally done. Now she just had to have lunch and wait until two o'clock. Hearing time. She left the room and locked. She didn't want anyone to pry into this case. If she wasn't wrong this would be the one to make her leave the ground floor and go to at least some level above the building's kitchen. When she was walking down the building 'stairs a hot and rough hand touched her shoulder. Confused she looked back.

"Hermione! I was calling you for ages; I even thought it wasn't you." The man was tall and his hair was black. He wore strange clothes. He had a big smile that showed all his bright and lined teeth. And even though he was a little bit attractive she was sure she had never seen him before.

"I'm sorry, but I think you are wrong." She said turning away from him and resuming walking. But soon he was in front of her.

"What are you talking about? I know it's been a long time, but we studied together. For seven years." He observed her confused expression and continued. "I'm Dean Thomas, remember?" She knew she had studied with a Dean in her high school, but it hadn't been for seven years, and he was blonde at the time.

"I'm sorry again, but I really believe you got the wrong person." She said trying to get away from him.

"C'mon Hermione, you've changed a lot. You don't have your large teeth and you aren't skinny anymore, or you don't even have your bushy hair like in a long time ago, but I haven't changed much. I just a little bit taller." He opened his smile. She however wasn't happy at all. She had never been like that, and he had no right to say those things to her. Her name wasn't even Hermione.

"Look, I don't know who you are and I'm not this Hermione girl you are talking about. So could you please let me go have lunch?" She pointed her finger to his chest and walked away. She went to a nearby restaurant. When she looked back she saw an extremely confused man standing in the middle of the sidewalk. "Freak." She murmured.

A quarter to two. Hermione tried to stay calm in the other side of the court, but it was impossible. She was saying her prayers in her head and her questions to the accused. Some people that were passing in the corridor were getting frightened when they saw her murmuring some unintelligible words and watching the ceiling. She looked everywhere. No signs of her clients. She sighed.

Maybe it wasn't time yet for her to get a better position in the company. Nervous she kicked a trash can. The noise made some people jump in their places scared. Eight years! Eight years in that same company, in the same room she had began in her first year and she didn't even know something after the second floor. The light began to fail. She sighed again. She got away from it and it began to work perfectly. She sited again and looked at her watch. Ten to two.

Her mother was right. She should have been a decorator. In that time everything was different. Her life was so ruled and right, with so many routines. Her childhood had been just like as any other, she played, and she had had friends and played a little more. Her adolescence had been more than normal. She never had problems with boyfriends, since she remembered she had only had one. Normal too. And become a decorator had always been the dream of her mother since she remembered. She never knew how she decided to drop college and become a lawyer. She always remembered that week. It was like all of her life she was numb. She never had any strong experiences, such as change, new friends or boyfriends. Her life had been perfect, and in that week something awoke inside her. Why would she be graduating in decoration if there were so many things outside that small town? Just because her mother wanted? She didn't know what hit her, but she felt as if she never really lived until that moment. So, ignoring her mother's warnings, with twenty years she dropped college, friends, family and the boyfriend and moved to the big city. To live like a grown up.

She snorted angry. And after eight years she still was in the same place. She heard rushed steps coming from the end of the corridor and when she looked she became relieved. There were her clients. John and Trisha. John had gray hair, he was solemn, had a bulging tummy and he limped. He was holding Trisha's arm, the blond and skinny girl was infuriated with her father's attitude.

"I'm sorry we are late, but Trisha wanted to show me how could she is in the wheel." He grumbled. Trisha was red.

"There's no problem. We weren't even called yet." She answered in the nicest voice she got. They hadn't been called yet, but she wanted to tell them what to say before they went in. And now they didn't have time. The case wasn't this big; anyone would win when the client affirms – with witnesses – that because of one of the security dogs he almost lost one of his right leg. Difficult was when there were no witnesses and it was completely inexplicable what was John doing at two a.m. trying to get inside the company. When the case got to her desk she thought about not taking it. But John went to her begging for her to take it since no other lawyer had accepted – which was one of the reasons she did – however, when she asked him why he was invading the company at that time, he told her about a series of criminal connections that had inside the company. He went to one of the meetings, since he was part of this. But he went there to get out of it, because it was getting more and more dangerous. And just like any kind of organization and mafia, once inside, inside until death. And that's what the dog wanted to do. Unfortunately, a new security guards saw it and saved John. It isn't needed to say that he was fired in the next morning. She took this as a challenge; if she was able to get enough proof and win that case she would definitely get a promotion. It wasn't every lawyer that would be able to sue a company like that and win the case. That's the reason why she had worked a lot in it. A voice inside the court room said her name, she breathed deeply.

"Rachel Chase."

It was now or never.

* * *

Hi guys!

I know my fic is really... confuse! (haha) But, in time, you will find it different. You're must be wondering: Who the hell is Rachel Chase, and what she is doing in the muggle world (being a lawyer), right?  
Calm down, she is Hermione Granger, and not Rachel Chase, and she's not a muggle! But this is all I can say to you right now.  
In time all this will be explained.

Well... if you like it, leave me a review, if you don't... just leave me a review anyway. Hahahaha.

But, I hope you enjoyed it

Thanks and kisses.

*Traslated by: /u/931865/Bea_Mendes


	2. Slow is the memory

_Slow Is The Memory_

"I don't know how to thank you!" Said John's deep and soft voice while he shook hands with her. She however looked chocked. She had won! Her hands were still shaking and in her mind she still was hearing the judge's words. "I never saw a lawyer so much carefulness, so audacious!" She noticed that John was trying not to say how much he was impressed that she was still where she was. She smiled to him and thanked them. Trisha said that later she would go to her office give the rest of the money. And she had no doubts that they would pay her. She just had won a million dollars for them. And if it weren't for John's leg, he sure would go jumping across that court until his crushed car. And in the end he let Trisha drive it happily.

She went back to her company with a silent euphoria. She smiled to everybody that looked at her, even the men that had whistled to her in the street. When she got to her office she almost wasn't able to stop a cry of happiness that was leaving her mouth. She had won! She was bale to bankrupt a huge company with all of her proves and witnesses. She felt as if she was floating. And for a brief second she thought she was, it was so much happiness, she thought, that she was able to see her feet a few centimeters away from the floor. She got all the papers from the case and put them all together in a file. She would have to take a copy from all of the hearings she had won to the first floor in that same day. She quickly did the copies and put the latest case in the front. When she finished she ran to the elevator. It was almost 6 p.m. and she had to get the cases their before closing time if she wanted them to be filed. She entered the first floor, which in fact was another large lobby. Bookstands in all walls, and if it weren't for the grey color of the folders, the place could be confused with a library. In the end of it there was a kitchen, separated by another wall full of bookstands and files. She went towards the desk full of attendants. She kept going until she found a blonde and small man that had his thirties.

"Rachel!" exclaimed Matt, one of the archivists of the building. A man divorced that had a secret passion for her. "How was the case this afternoon?" He asked in a light tone, seeing her euphoria speak for her. Matt was the only one she had tell, she considered him a great friend.

"It couldn't be better! I think this was it Matt!" She said in a whisper. Matt went forward in the desk that separated them.

"Are you serious Rach?" He said in a solemn and anxious tone. She nodded, not being able to fight the smile that was playing with her lips, making Matt smile with her. "If it weren't for this desk I would hug you!" He exclaimed.

"It's not necessary Matt. Just hand these files to the right people and you can consider yourself hugged by me." She said giving him the heavy box. It had been for a few months now that Matt was helping her to get a promotion. He was already in the position he wanted to be: he was chief of the section, and he thought it was unfair that she wasn't at least in the fiftieth floor. Matt put her files first to deliver them to General Lawyers Inspector. This last would pass them to a superior that analyzed who was getting well there. Matt was shocked.

"Rach, you got all of these done in three months?" He was impressed. She nodded again, Matt looked at her deeply. "It's a shame I have only started working here a year ago. You know that Orlando started asking if there are more of your cases to show Dylon?" Orlando was the inspector and Dylon was the one that promoted everybody. She couldn't have been more joyful.

"Matt! You're an angel!" And ignoring all the people there – and there were many people there – she leaned forward and kissed him in the lips, leaving Matt stunned. And then, almost making all of the present men there turn there heads to see her leave, she went away. When she entered the elevator she realized it smelled like jasmine and oak moss. And even though there was only her there she felt that that smell took all of the air from her lungs and when the elevator doors opened she waited a moment to get out of there. She had already smelled that aroma. But she didn't know where. It looked like it had awakened something inside her, and with some difficulty she left the elevator going to the garage. A black and shiny Porsche Cayman almost hit her but not even this could end her good mood. She went to her red Oggi 83 and for the first time since she had bought it he started working the moment she put her key in the ignition. But she could swear she felt it start moving the moment she sited in it. She left in such a hurry that she almost hit a man with black suit that was running through the garage; he was so fast that she wasn't able to see his face. The man went to the same Porsche that had almost run over her. The car was parked a few feet away from her. She didn't see anything else. Leaving this aside she left the building and said hello to the beginning of New York's night.

"Chase!" A nervous voice called her outside the door.

The young woman woke up startled. She looked around her and saw that she was in her office and someone was hitting nervously in her door. When she got to her apartment in the previous night, she spent the whole night thinking about many promotions and new apartments, she had barely slept. She got to the company and slept almost immediately in her desk.

She stood up and tried to smooth her hair, she opened the door and came face to face with an elder woman that almost hit her in the face – since she opened the door suddenly.

"What's wrong Solana?" Her voice was sleepy and the grey eye brows of the other went up.

"Ms. Solana!" She answered coolly. "Here," and she threw a small envelope in her hands. "Mr. Potter wants to speak to you." The youngest eyes were wide.

"Mr. Potter?" She asked. Potter was the company's president, why would he want to speak to her?

"Yes, Mr. Potter!" The other rolled her eyes at this. "And if I were you I would run. He doesn't like to wait and he wanted to speak to you yesterday, but you had already gone home." For Solana maybe it wasn't such a big deal that Potter wanted to speak to her, the elder worked with him for five years now, but for her that was something extraordinary. She never heard of someone under the sixtieth floor that had met him. She tried to calm down when the other went away, and tried to convince herself that she would speak with one of his representatives. No way could she talk to him in person. Not in that way. She was with the same suit she had worn the previous day – which had wrinkles –, had black circles under her eyes it looked that they had been painted there and her hair was in such a mess that would not look nice even if she made a bun. She breathed deeply and opened the small envelope with shaking hands.

_Miss Chase, come to my office the moment you enter the company._

_Potter._

The letter was small and so direct that she even began feeling scared. She knew she would talk to him in person because it wasn't written the floor and office of one of the representatives, logically everyone in the company knew what his office was. Oh my God! What could he possibly want with her? Well, she would have to go. She closed the door clumsily and went to the elevator, thinking of a thousand reasons why he would have called her. She pressed the number seventy – his floor – and waited. People came in and people came out, lawyers in general. In the sixtieth floor she became completely alone. When the elevator doors opened she found herself in front of an amazing place. There was no carpet in the floor, like in most offices; the floor was made of one of the best and shiny wood she had ever seen. The walls were made of wood to, but they had paintings of green and grey places. There were two sofas and a center table, and it wasn't necessary to say that the sofa was more expensive than all of her apartment. In the back there were two doors and a beautiful and large wooden desk. Behind it there was one of the prettiest women she had ever seen, she had golden hair and her locks went all they way down and stopped in her shoulders. She had blue eyes and an incomparable beauty. Her clothes looked to be all made for her.

She walked to the desk and the blonde showed her, her beautiful and lined teeth. If she noticed the clothes the other one was wearing and her appearance and didn't like it, she was very professional to, because the brunette didn't notice even a different look from her.

"Chase right? Rachel Chase?" She asked and her voice seemed to calm her.

"Yes… I came…" She started but the blonde interrupted her politely.

"Don't worry. Mr. Potter is waiting for you.' She said indicating the door with her head.

"Well… Thank you then." The other one smiled and resumed filling some forms. The brunette realizes that even the papers looked expensive. As she didn't know if she knocked or not, she passed slowly through the door. The vision she had of the previous room vanished from her mind when she saw that one. It looked like she was entering a totally different world. There were windows instead of walls, giving someone the impression that they were floating above everything. She could see a good part of New York from where she stood, and she didn't even have to try hard. There was a spiral staircase in the other side of the room, and the top floor she couldn't see because there was a dark glass surrounding it. In the back of the room almost glued to the window there was Potter's desk, all made of wood with a glass on top of it. The rest had uncountable sculptures made of metal and clay, making it all look sophisticated and luxurious. The smell of jasmine and oak moss penetrated her mind and she finally discovered where it came from, even though she still couldn't say what it reminded her. After taking a good look at the room she turned her attention to the person that was sitting behind the wooden desk. And he made the rest of the room disappear. She couldn't explain why her heart began beating faster when she saw him. In fact, nothing she thought in that moment made any sense. She thought she was a fool staring at him opened-mouth. But he didn't even seem to notice that she was there. He was typing something in his laptop and looked really concentrated. When she finally was able to recover and was about to say something he spoke.

"What took you so long Ms. Chase?" She didn't know why, but she got irritated with the way he spoke with her, not even looking at her.

"_Miss_ Chase." She spat back, regretting the moment it left her mouth. But he finally looked at her. And she realized that it was best if he hadn't ever looked at her.

"What…" For a moment he seemed speechless. "You are Rachel Chase?" He asked, his gaze piercing her.

"Yes." She answered trying to be nice. Potter stopped for a moment observing her. She couldn't help but to feel that now he had a look of doubt in his eyes.

"The lawyer Rachel Chase?" He asked again and she rolled her eyes.

"The lawyer Rachel Chase." She confirmed changing the wait of her body from one leg to the other. For a man like that those questions were making him look stupid. Then, he said nothing more, and she stood quiet as well. He analyzed her carefully, like he could see not without her clothes, but as if he could see her without her flesh.

"Sit." He said with a different twinkle in his eyes. She walked calmly until his desk, ignoring her hammering heart; it was beating so fast she feared he could hear it. After settling down, he sited a little bit more comfortable in his own chair. She didn't know why, but she could swear that his eyes showed contempt for her. "So Ms. _Chase_." And instead of mark the word miss he said her last name ironically. "Do you have any idea of why are you here?"

"No." She said sincerely, regretting again being so cool.

"I'd guess that." He said inaudibly, irritating her. "Well, Chase… You are here for your yesterday's hearing with Evitca and Co." She looked at him confused; he gave her a scornful look.

"I won." She said firmly. "I didn't do anything wrong." And when she finished it looked lie he was confirming this more to her than to him.

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Potter's voice was ironical. "Really you haven't done anything wrong." He said shaking his head lightly. "Besides bankrupting the main company of the Japanese Mafia, really, you didn't do anything wrong." He said lifting his shoulders in an ironic calmness. She however was trying hard not to look surprise.

"This wouldn't be wrong, would it?" And Potter understood her question.

"For me, no… Totally." He leaned forward in his desk. "Now for you…" She was quiet. "You have no idea have you _Chase_?" Again her last name was said harshly.

"Of course I have." She couldn't restrain herself. "I did an excellent hearing and I won. More than what the case was asking and less than what it should have been done." Potter leaned back in his chair.

"I should have expected that from you…" He murmured and she didn't understand. "In six months you were able to resolve more cases than my best lawyer. And – incredibly – you won all of them." His voice showed her nothing less than scorn. "If someone asked me, I'd say you were involved with the mafia." She opened her mouth to say something but he continued. "However yesterday, you were able to end their main company. And apparently, not knowing." He got hold of one of the papers he had in his desk and she saw it was a large file. He opened it. "I shouldn't be surprised by it right?" He didn't wait for an answer. "You work here for eight years and you never lost any case, you got more hearings than most, even those who work here for thirty years." He closed it and dropped it to the desk. "And I ask myself what are you doing in the ground floor? With a file like these it's amazing you didn't achieve my place six years ago." It was obvious that he would keep talking, so she just stayed quiet listening. "But you know what bugs me in all of this? This coming to me only now. Eight years of work here and only now I see your file." She said nothing. "Don't you have something to say?" She shook her head, hating the feeling that he was in charge. "Maybe because this isn't real, isn't it Ms. _Chase_?" She had wide eyes and before he could go on she almost yelled.

"They aren't false! I deserved all of these cases." She realized that she had stood up. He rose from his chair too.

"So how can you explain the fact that you hadn't been promoted? How do you explain the fact that you won a case against the mafia and you still work in ground floor with the probationers?" His voice was altered.

"I was unjustified! By all of the people I trusted." She knew her face was red by the anger that she felt inside.

"If you are such a good lawyer why didn't you ever sue them?" He spat back.

"Because I didn't want everybody to know that I was sexually harassed since the moment a step in here for the first time." Embarrassed she sat back. Potter looked like he had frozen in place for a second then he sat back too.

"It would be a good reason to sue them." But his voice didn't show anger anymore. She sighed and looked away. She wouldn't tell him what had happened when she sued the first that did. Tears still formed in her eyes when she remembered it.

"It's a private matter and it didn't affect my ability to win." She turned her gaze to him again, her eyes full of tears, but he didn't seem to notice.

"It doesn't matter anymore." He said coolly. "The fact is that it's amazing that you are still alive without a broken bone since yesterday's hearing." He sighed. "If it was any other lawyer I'd already have fired and said to move to another country." Her eyes were wide open; she was ready to say that she didn't have anywhere to go nor money to go. "But…" He raised his hand to stop her from saying. "Being so great your ability, I couldn't let you go." She sensed that he was trying hard to compliment her. "We already lost Baxer because of this mafia case. And it would be great if you continued where he stopped. Actually, where you stopped since you achieved more results than him in a year." Baxer was one of the best lawyers in the company, who Potter trusted most, but he died mysteriously while he was in England. Now she knew why and a shiver ran down her spine. "You will have one of the best security agencies with you twenty-four-seven. And you will receive orders only from me. That means you won't have another case." He said and turned to his laptop as if she had gone.

"Who said I accept this?" She hated the fact that he didn't even cared to ask. He looked at her again and she felt another shiver going through her body, but she continued. "I mean, if Baxer died in this case… And it really looks dangerous this kind of thing…" Her voice was vague and she noticed a glint in his eyes. She didn't know how but she was sure it was from hate.

"Where are you trying to get… Chase?" Potter's eye brows were up.

"You can't order me up like this!" She answered. "You can't act as if you ruled my life. I have the right to not accept it."

"I can't order you like this?" His voice was threatening. "Should I remind you who are you talking to?" He again continued before she opened her mouth to answer. "And it's not like I'm asking you to wear yellow underwear," ignoring her red cheeks he continued. "This is strictly professional; there has nothing to do with me ruling your life."

"Of course it has! If you're going to send security to stay with me twenty-four-seven it has!" In all of her life she didn't remember being this furious.

"Great!" He said punching the table. "If you want to follow Baxer then I am pleased to call the security agency." He said grabbing the phone.

"No!" She thought quickly and he dropped the phone. There was an awkward silence between them.

"You can go now... Rachel Chase." And as if her presence hadn't been more them something in his eye he turned back to his laptop. She rose up relieved. She couldn't stand to stay there for another minute in the presence of that man. However when she was few centimeters away from the door he spoke again.

"Oh... You were promoted." She turned but he was still looking to his laptop. She finally went away. The receptionist was standing beside the door and it looked like she was expecting her. The blonde was smiling and the other asked herself how someone that worked for Potter could want to smile again. But this quickly left her mind when the other opened her mouth.

"Come Ms. Chase, I'll show your new office." Anger was in her chest, less anger than it would be if she was with Potter. It was as if Potter had everything planned. "Pretentious." She thought with herself but still walked with the other to the elevator. She tried not to look surprise when the other pressed the button sixty nine. Baxter's former office. Then she asked.

"But… What about my things?" The blonde smiled again.

"They are there already waiting for you Ms. Chase." She said with a certain class. This time she didn't try to hide her astonishment. How long would she be there?

After walking through a small room the blonde opened the door and let her in. A shock hit her and she was numb. It wasn't the same thing as Potter's office, but if it were possible it was just like her. Better than in her dreams. Wooden floor, the walls had a light tone of pink, there was a big window that went all the way from the floor to the ceiling. In front of her a big mahogany table in the middle of the room, with a laptop on top of it, a leather chair behind it. Two sofas by the wall arranged in a way that formed the letter L, next to a door that it certainly was the bathroom. In the other side there was a bookstand full of books and next to it a big and grey cabinet. All there was screaming modernity.

"I hope you enjoyed it." Said the blonde smiling from the face the other was doing. She nodded. "Good, I decorated it." She said satisfied.

"You what…? How did you know I…?" She couldn't complete the sentences.

"Mr. Potter gave me orders last night to prepare your office." The other one had a confused expression. "And well, I'm trying to be a designer, so I kind of had everything planned in my mind. And since Mr. Potter has a good reputation, I was able to get everything here last night. I was just waiting for you to come here to tell someone to get your things and bring them here." She said this last part a little embarrassed, the other gave her a thankful look and she understood it.

"So, you want to be a designer?" She said encouraging her.

"Oh yes. It has always been my dream. I only work here to end college, when I'm done I want to have my own company." The brunette could see her dreamy look and smiled not knowing what to say. Actually she didn't remember what she wanted to be when she went to college. But, it was so long ago. The blonde looked at her watch. "Lunch time. I think I'm keeping you right? You probably have someone waiting for you." She said. But the other murmured.

"Actually... I don't." She always had lunch alone. Not even Matt had lunch with her. They had different shifts. And she never had any friends in the company. "But you're probably hungry aren't you?" She said turning to admire her new office again.

"Well... I really am. But you must be too... Wouldn't you like to have lunch with me?" If the brunette wasn't wrong the other one looked extremely embarrassed to ask this.

"Of course I would like!" The blonde's face was light now. "And you can call me Rachel."

"My name is Cordelia" Both of them shook hands. "I know a magnificent restaurant by the Park, Gramercy Tavern. We could go there if you want…" The brunette hesitated; she couldn't pay a restaurant like Gramercy Tavern.

"Well... I forgot my purse this morning..." It wasn't a lie. She left in such a hurry that she did forget it. The blonde hit her forehead.

"I forgot to tell." She walked to the table and grabbed a yellow envelope. "Here are you're new credit cards. Mr. Potter asked them this morning. They got here not so long time ago." She gave the other the envelope. She opened and saw that inside there were two letters addressed to her. She opened both and saw the cards Visa and Mastercard. "Mr. Potter wanted all urgent, he called them. It was good that you were late, this way it probably has funds now. So, Gramercy Tavern?"

"She found much of herself in Cordelia. Sure she was almost five years older than her, but they had almost the same opinions. Cordelia told her that she worked there for four years and didn't have any friends; she always thought that the women were stingy and that the men weren't worth it. Cordelia also said that she was only working there because she was paid well. She didn't ask how much, but Cordelia said she could pay an apartment in Fifth Avenue and her college without having to worry. That was much that they didn't have in common, but Cordelia didn't ask where the other lived.

"I still don't understand how you can smile so much working for that man!" She said referring to Potter.

"You know, I still not used to him." Said Cordelia thinking that the other was talking about his beauty. "I always can't breathe when he's too close to me." The other laughed.

"I thought you had a boyfriend Cordelia." She remembered.

"I love Bob, but you can't ignore a Greek god like that one." They both laughed.

"But I was actually referring to his rudeness…" She said sipping the wine she chose.

"I don't understand..." Said Cordelia. "I saw that you were angry when you left his office... But usually he treats everyone well, especially beautiful women." She complemented her friend and the other became red. If Cordelia thought she was beautiful, she had never looked at herself in the mirror. She thought she was pretty, but Cordelia was at least ten times prettier. "If I had your beauty I wouldn't wear those types of clothes." She continued, but soon she was expressing anxiety and asked, "What do you think about is doing some little shopping tonight? I think it's ok if I miss another class at college. And you need to use your new credit cards and your new income!" With this last sentence she convinced the other. When they went back to the company they said goodbyes as if they were long time friends and Cordelia told her that she would be her secretary too. The other was more than relieved. At least she wouldn't have to talk to Potter in person. And she hoped she would never have to talk him again. But when she got to her office she saw him sitting in her chair comfortably, opening a little yellow box that was in her desk. Her heart began beating faster than the first time.

"I thought you would never come back." He said opening the box.

"What are you doing here?" She said moving towards the table. "And stop going through my stuff!" She took the yellow box from his hands. Even in the other side of the table she could smell him. He got up and she could almost feel the heat leaving his body.

"The company – if you don't know – is mine and I go where ever I want to go. And for your things…" He took the box of her hands. "This is more mine than yours. I bought in lunch time and it just got here." He opened it and gave her a small thing, one of the latest cell phones.

"Well, you didn't have to." She spat back putting it in the table.

"Don't be stupid… I need to contact you everyday from now on." His eyes glinted in a strange way. "It's not a big deal." Her cheeks went red, but she tried to ignore it.

"Get out of my chair." She ordered and to her surprise he obeyed.

"You will come with me to a hearing." He stopped in front of her, putting his hands in his pockets naturally, and she couldn't help but notice that he was strong. "It is about the Japanese mafia and I need to show them that you are working directly with me. It will intimidate them."

"You still go to hearings?" She asked ignoring his scent.

"Just to this one." He shook his shoulders. "I won't have to carry you there, right… Chase?" In her mind she saw images of him carrying her and she almost nodded, which made her cheeks go scarlet. He definitely shouldn't be this close.

"What's the matter with my last name after all?" She asked trying to change the subject. She then thought of going backwards but she realized that she was trapped between the table and Potter. It looked like he was entering deep in her soul when he spoke again, slow and cool.

"We are losing time. The hearing is in an hour." He went to the door and she followed. They descended in the private elevator – that only people above the fiftieth floor used – and since didn't find anybody they got to the garage fast. "We are going with my car." He said when the doors opened. She continued to follow him until they got to a black Porsche Cayman; she recognized it as the one that almost hit her the previous day. It had two securities, one in each side of the car. She found that absurd. The building had enough securities only in the garage. She entered his car and tried not to look stupid when she was the luxury inside it. He started the car and they went away fast.

"Couldn't you go slower?" She asked fastening the seat belt and holding tight to the sit.

"We are already going to get traffic and the hearing is at Brooklyn."

"The fact is that you almost hit me yesterday with this car." She wasn't able to stop herself, and then he looked surprised. But suddenly it appeared that he had understood the situation.

"It wasn't me."

"No other person in the company has a Porsche Cayman. And with these securities I think it's impossible that it was stolen." She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but saying those things. It must have been his presence dong something with her mind. He sighed nervously.

"They were hired this morning. Yesterday this car was stolen... By my ex-girlfriend." He simply said and the expression in his face didn't show anything. She remembered that she really saw a man passing through her car and going to the Porsche. No one said anything after that. She tried to hide her nervousness. It looked like he was a magnet to women. Maybe that was the reason for his giant ego. She was lost in thoughts and when the car stopped she had the impression that it was too soon for them to be in Brooklyn. She was right. They were in front of a big store in Fifth Avenue, and she recognized it as one of the most expensive: Chloé.

"I thought we didn't have time." She said unfastening the seat belt.

"I will not go shopping." He said irritated. "The thing is; you can't go to the hearing like this…" He indicated the suit she was wearing. This time she agreed with him. She left the car and followed him to the store.

"Harry!" A beautiful, tall and extremely sexy woman greeted. "It's been a long time, sweetheart!" She leaned forward to kiss him. She noticed the Italian accent in the woman's voice.

"My Donna!" He said greeting her back. "I need your help, it's urgent." In five minutes he gave all the orders to find a suit for her and said that it had to be done in less than ten minutes. Some shop assistants surrounded her and gave her lots of clothes. When she tried them on she gave a quick look at the prices and saw that they were no less than a month of her salary. She chose the one she thought cheaper and went back dressed to find Potter.

"Mr. Potter is in the jewelry section." One of the shop assistants informed. She went there and saw him looking at something.

"I'm ready" She said and Harry turned to look at her. For a moment she saw a satisfaction glint in his eyes, but it was so quick that she thought she was imaging things.

"It's just missing one thing." He said giving her some jewelry. She saw that they were the most pure and real jewelry. That should cost more than all her things together. "You can put them on now." It was an order but she didn't dare say anything. She put them on and looked at the mirror to see the effect. She looked someone else. No one that looked at her half an hour ago would recognize her. She then opened the bag with her old clothes and searched her credit card. "What are you doing?" He said when he saw the card in her hand.

"What does it look like?" She spat ironically. "I'm paying."

"It's all paid." He said grabbing her arm and leaving the store.

"This isn't fair! Even if I don't have a good salary, I could have paid in parcels." She saw Harry turning his eyes.

"This store doesn't accept that Hermione." She stopped midway and Harry looked back at her angry.

"What did you just called me?" She asked surprised. He looked confused. "You just called me Hermione." She explained and Harry's face was suddenly blank.

"I did?" She remained where she was, looking at him surprised. "I didn't realize. Let's go now, we are losing time." With that he grabbed her arm again and almost threw her into the passenger's seat. It was the second time that week someone called her Hermione. She looked outside the window seeing nothing more than a blur while Harry drove even faster.

When they crossed the court's doors she realized why Harry wanted her to wear such good clothes. She had never seen such a luxury courtroom. Harry told her to stay next to her in the first row. Unfortunately, even though she was a great lawyer she didn't understand a word of the trial. It was in Japanese. Harry's client looked lost too, but he didn't say a thing. But that didn't take away the elegance that Harry – with fluent Japanese – went through the hearing. She thought it had passed more than two hours when the Judge said the verdict. Harry looked happy and the ones that had understood everything were clapping hands. Soon after it she approached Harry, and his client looked more relieved. They were talking quietly and the client stopped talking when she was closer. She thought he was attractive. His features looked made millimeter by millimeter and his hair was white-blond. He was wearing Armani and she was sure it had been made for him. Harry that was closing his suitcase sighed.

"It's ok. She entered in Baxer's place." Harry explained. "Liam, this is Rachel Chase. Rachel, this is Liam Ness." Both of them greeted the other shaking hands and Liam gave her a special smile.

"It was really a shame to what happened with Baxer, did you know him?" Liam asked putting his hands in his pockets while some people left the court.

"I knew him by sight only." She said nicely, Liam smiled again.

"I was just telling Harry that we'll have to have dinner tonight so he can translate all of this… Wouldn't you like to go too, Miss Chase?" He invited and Harry thought it was a good idea.

"It will be good since I have to fill her in." He agreed. "We'll see each other at eight then?" Harry not waiting for her to answer irritated her once more.

"At Spezzatino?" Harry nodded and Liam gave her another smile and left. When they were alone she said.

"What if I have plans?" Harry didn't even look at her.

"You will cancel." He said leaving the court.

"I thought you wouldn't control my life." She spat back angry.

"I would not control your personal life. This is strictly professional." He said in a tone that ended any type of discussion. But she went on.

"I don't even have clothes to wear." She actually wanted to go, but she didn't like the way he spoke for her.

"Cordelia will help you with that, go shopping after work. And please," at this moment he turned to her "stop talking. I have a headache." He resumed walking, leaving her speechless.

"You know, for a man in your position you could at least try not being rude." She followed him and he didn't answer her. The way back to the company was silent and when they left the car she slammed the door and went to the elevator as quickly as she could, while Harry was walking to it. Her last vision of him – before the doors closed – was the fury in his eyes because she had gone before him.

* * *

I personally liked the first chap :)

There still has a lot to come, and you will understand why Harry loathes her so much. And Hermione still is going to go through a lot.

**lily2:** thank you so much! keep reading!

**storycrazy22:** I love that scene too! I think it's funny! ^^

**lovette:** thank you! i really hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

Well, it's still the beginning and I hope you liked it.

Thanks!

And review people! Please!

Kisses!

*Translated by: /~Bea_Mendes


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